Project Briefing-Spring 2006 Task Force Meeting

Ronald Jantz
Digital Library Architect
Rutgers University

Nicholas Fischio
Development Manager
Case Western Reserve University

Nathan Lambert
Chief Technology Officer
Case Western Reserve University

This session will describe the institutional repository programs in two institutions:

RUcore: A Fedora-based Institutional Repository to Support Multidisciplinary Collections (Jantz)

Institutional repositories must support both multidisciplinary collections and the preservation of those collections that are intended to be persistent. These goals are challenging from many perspectives including specifically the technological infrastructure and the emerging concept of becoming a “trusted” repository. The Fedora framework provides a flexible and extensible environment for meeting the challenge of institutional repositories. This presentation will discuss the approach that Rutgers University Libraries has used to develop RUcore (Rutgers University Community Repository) - a Fedora-based institutional repository. Specific emphasis will be placed on the information architecture (metadata, collection structure, object architecture) and services to support collections and digital preservation. Examples of repository content from cultural heritage collections, digital dissertations, and e-journals will be used to illustrate relevant concepts. A brief update will be provided on the progress of the Fedora Working Group on Preservation Services.

When looking to build a digital library or institutional repository, most institutions begin by evaluating several popular open source software projects including DSpace and Fedora. DSpace provides more of a turnkey solution while Fedora’s modular architecture forces each institution to expend more energy to meet their needs. Like most institutions, we began the process of building Digital Case by evaluating several software choices including DSpace and Fedora. Then, as Digital Case became more tangible, we began exploring the possibility of integrating both systems into Digital Case. We would use DSpace, with its powerful Workflow capabilities as our self-service endpoint and Fedora, with its extensible modular architecture, as our core repository. Thus, rather than excluding one, we would seamlessly combine both solutions to meet out needs. This briefing will explore the difficulties and the benefits of integrating two seemingly disparate systems into one Digital Library.